Companies House Directors responsibilities query

Aaron C Rescue

A bloke I know works as an 'outsourced' helpline (A computer based text chat support) and over the past week or so he has had quite a few people coming through the chat host, and asking for the name of the company, the company number, the company address, telephone number and the name of all of the directors.

Suspicians sifficiently pricked, he began to note down the ISP adresses of these people, and confirmed that each enquiry was coming from the same address. He susbsequently refused to give any company details, and told the person that all the details required could be found at companies house.

To which he was informed that unless he provided all the details when asked to do so he was breaking Companies House rules and was risking a company fine.

Can anyone confirm if this is in fact true? Do you have to reveal directors names, addresses etc when anyone aks you?

(This is an SME company - with only one director, and it entitled to return abbrieviated accounts. If it makes any difference)

Rinske

It sounds like a scam to me..

If the companies house has all the information, then the other person could just as well get it from there. Unless the person asking was a specific governement body and has a right to do this, which does not seem likely if they ask it via a chatbody, this person is most likely trying to scam the company in some way or trying to get the details for sales purposes (telesales etc).

However that's my opinion, I can't say I based it on anything.

Monsoon

Rinske wrote: »

It sounds like a scam to me..

If the companies house has all the information, then the other person could just as well get it from there. Unless the person asking was a specific governement body and has a right to do this, which does not seem likely if they ask it via a chatbody, this person is most likely trying to scam the company in some way or trying to get the details for sales purposes (telesales etc).

However that's my opinion, I can't say I based it on anything.

Opinion again only, but I agree with this. You can get this info for £1 from companies house.

On the flip side, what is wrong with giving out the company name, number, address and telephone? It's a legal requirement to have these details on the website so what's the problem with giving them out over the phone?

Rinske

Monsoon wrote: »

Opinion again only, but I agree with this. You can get this info for £1 from companies house.

On the flip side, what is wrong with giving out the company name, number, address and telephone? It's a legal requirement to have these details on the website so what's the problem with giving them out over the phone?

Dunno what is wrong with it, I think my suspicions grew because he also wanted the name of the directors.

Having worked in telemarketing for a week, I was always told to ask for contact details and preferrably all director names as well. It just reminded me of that. After the week, I walked out, because I found it horrible work.

I don't really know how anyone could use the details in a scam though, it was just a feeling for me, because of the way it was brought. I don't know, I think it's more likely telemarketing, but they wouldn't threaten people or get fired from their job real soon.

Aaron C Rescue

Thanks for the response I have passed your thoughts on to him and if he is ever gets any more hassle he is just going to disconnect them, and block their IP addy. I have just realised that I didn't make clear the fact that he was providing an outsourced technical support function, and was a seperate business entity to the company the person was asking after.

In affect it is as if we bought a computer and software from say ACME High Street Computers, and then called a Microsoft helpline and demanded they give us the names and contact details of ACME High Street Computers and told them that they will be reported to Company House and 'fined' if they did not comply.